A-Star Sports, the multi-sports coaching franchise business which was established in just November last year, has scooped top prizes at one of the UK children’s activity sector’s most prestigious awards ceremonies.

The fledgling company, founded by three couples – Gary and Sharon Bassett, Kevin and Caroline Key and Alister and Lorna Ramm, wowed the parent voters at the national What’s on 4 Junior 2012 awards at the Hilton Avisford Park Hotel in Sussex this month (June 15).

At an event hosted by celebrity television presenter Lucy Piper, the A-Star Sports team won the Best New Activity for Children award and Kevin Key took the prize for Most Outstanding Activity Leader for Children aged five to 12.

This is the same award that Gary and Sharon Bassett won at the competition in 2010, which means that the dynamic young franchise business now has three of the nation’s top activity leaders in its co-founding team.

The awards, in association with Konfidence and supported by Prima Baby and Pregnancy Magazine, are now in their sixth year and celebrate the best activities, classes and party providers from all over the UK, as nominated and voted for by parents.

Sharon Bassett said: “This was a fantastic achievement and a really strong endorsement by the people who really matter in the children’s sports coaching business – the parents who give us their trust and confidence.

“The awards we won reflect the hard work, dedication and unstinting effort which our coaching teams across the UK put into their sporting mission – to make sport as fun and enjoyable as possible and

accessible for all, promoting a healthy, happy lifestyle for Britain’s sporting stars of the future.”

What’s On 4 founder Sam Willoughby said: “It was a privilege to meet so many passionate and committed business owners, franchisees and individuals, all wanting to offer the very best to the children and parents they meet. It was an emotional, inspiring and unforgettable event.”

A-Star Sports, which offers coaching for children as young as two years old and up to 10 years old, now has 11 centres throughout Scotland and England, offering fun-filled sessions which teach very young children to play individually, in games with a partner or in teams.

And, in the vitally important year of the London Olympics, the bfa-affiliated franchise is taking off across the UK, providing a wide variety of sports, games and activities in weekly private classes, holiday clubs, parties and events.

A-Star Sports is projecting the establishment of 40 centres in the UK within the next three to four years and, after detailed territory mapping, has identified the ultimate potential of 240 centres.

Franchisees are offered a full training package to get them started and ongoing coaching- and business-orientated support, including help with finance, marketing, general management, health and safety, HR and the benefit of a regularly reviewed coaching programme.

About A-Star Sports

A-Star Sports – voted the nation’s Best New Activity for Children at the What’s On 4 Junior Awards in its first year, Theo Paphitis #SBS and Start-up Hub 2013 winner, UK Startups 100 and ACCELERATE 250 business.